Rivendell Rises
by Kitty-Hamster
Summary: An Elven princess faced with a choice. A father insisting on marriage. The man of her dreams pops up while a man of a forbidden race is haunting her steps. Is this the man intended to free her?
1. Lady Elencú and the Surprise

Rivendell Rises

An Elven princess faced with a choice. A father insisting on marriage. The man of her dreams pops up while a man of a forbidden race is haunting her steps. Is this the man intended to free her?

A few things are my idea(I don't believe I've seen them anywhere else, let me know if I'm mistaken). These include Cálë, Maldathoron, Kelepeku, and Elencú. The rest of it is all from the real Lord of the Rings. Enjoy!

* * *

Running through the halls when father was in an angry mood was a bad move, yes, she knew that. She still did not heed the caution thrown to her. Cálë, her handmaiden, had often warned her of what could happen if father came to know of these outings to the village dances to see the many elvish men. She enjoyed these because she could simply go and have a good time, and not have to worry about whether or not the elf she danced with was going to be the one she would have to bond herself to for all eternity, or if it was because of her family. She could leave her rank and worries about a lifemate behind and have a good time. She did not listen to the warnings, for father did not know, and she would make sure it stayed that way. "Cálë, I wish to go see the village today. The dance there starts at late noon." She said decisively. "My Lady, you cannot go as of yet. Your father is taking you somewhere else later today." Cálë answered.

"If father is taking me..." Elencú stood up in a flurry of anger, her weariness of the long day forgotten in this new anger. "No! I'm not going!" she stood ramrod straight, her whole body tense and taught with anger. Just then the door opened and Arwen Undómiel came in. She was dressed in a dark green riding gown that looked oddly like she hadn't been riding for the week she was missing, 'Her travel clothes, she must have just returned from Gondor.' Elencú thought. 'I hope father hasn't seen her yet.'

"Hello sister!" Arwen cheerfully greeted her.

"Hello Arwen," Elencú greeted, her anger already starting to evaporate in the face of her sister's happiness.

"Lady Arwen, tell Lady Elencú that she must go to your father's ball!"

Cálë pleaded with them both, less worried that yet another fight was on the horizon now that Arwen was there.

"Lady Elencú, you must go!" Cálë answered smartly.

"Look, Cálë. If I go to this, like father wants me to, he'll expect me to pick one of the elves, of his choosing, to be my lifemate. I want to pick my own lifemate! Not some boy off fathers display rack!" Elencú explained, distressed. Her father had been trying to find her a lifemate for the past five years. He knew his ruling time of Imladris was closing, for he would be returning to the undying lands for a second time. Before he left he wanted a ruler of his choosing, for Imladris. But, to have a proper ruler, Elencú needed to find a lifemate.

"My Lady, you can go and not pick anyone." Cálë was getting very good at persuading the quick-witted princess. Arwen looked surprised, then thought, and then smiled, and then chuckled. She sat gracefully next to her younger sister.

"Ele," she started, using her old nickname for Elencú, "I think you will want to go to this one, I invited some friends that I would like you to meet, besides, Aragorn is going to be here, you always liked him, please?" Arwen dropped off, hopeful that her sister would agree.

"Fine, I shall go. But, you owe me big time for this one." Elencú consented, reluctantly. "Okay. Let's get you ready for a ball." Cálë was excited now.

About four hours later, Lady Elencú stood at the head of the stairs connecting her room to the rest of Imladris. Dressed grandly as a princess, she awaited her father impatiently with Cálë. When her father did come, he was met with a huge surprising to see. Elencú wore a dress of an iridescent silver, with golden trim on the sleeves, neck, waist, and hem. The top half of her hair was up in a long, intricate braid, but the rest of her brown-tinted golden locks were left down in a cascade of slight curls. The moonlight glinted lightly off of her hair and shone slightly . 'The only thing left is for her to smile. But, I cannot force her to do that.' he thought, grimly.

"Come, Elencú, we must be off." he said, coolly. Arwen, who had already left, was also dressed as a grand princess, but slightly different from Elencú's. Her gown was of a deep midnight blue, the hems were sparkling of silver. The sleeves of her gown were littered with glittering silver stars. Half of her golden hair was also up, though in an elegantly twisted knot.

"Yes, father, of course." she answered, slightly enthusiastic. "Elencú, please, don't do anything dumb. No, I know you don't usually, but, when you do, it's always at some big, important thing like this. Just do me proud. _Namárië_" (Farewell) Cálë said, more than slightly worried.

"I'm sorry for forcing this on you, dear daughter." Father said, sadly. "But I'm going to have to leave for the undying lands soon, so I need you to be ABLE to be in control of ruling Imladris. I would have Maldathoron do this, but he and Kelepeku are leaving for the woods of Lorien as soon as you have chosen. But they also must be in Lorien before I leave because Galadriel is leaving with me. The little hobbit, Frodo, is going with us, seeing as Arwen gave her spot to the little halfling. She is going to stay in Gondor with Aragorn. Your brothers have disappeared again, so you have to be in control until they return. When they do come back, the choice to give up the leadership of Imladris is yours. But you need a lifemate! If you do not choose quickly then I shall have to choose for you. You have till a week before I leave. Understood?" he smiled grimly when his daughter nodded sullenly.

* * *

Well, I hope you enjoyed. I've had this hanging around on another account. I felt I should combine them(the accounts), and update this a bit. Minor changes have been made since I'm updating the story.

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of the story!

-Kitté


	2. Approach

Rivendell Rises

An Elven princess faced with a choice. A father insisting on marriage. The man of her dreams pops up while a man of a forbidden race is haunting her steps. Is this the man intended to free her?

A few things are my idea(I don't believe I've seen them anywhere else, let me know if I'm mistaken). These include all mentioned in the previous chapter as well as Saraná. I also am aware that there is probably no such thing as an Edhelnaug, but it's my story, my creature. The rest of it is all from the real Lord of the Rings. Enjoy!

* * *

Lord Elrond of Imladris held out his arm to his youngest child, and future ruler of Imladris. Taught with contained anger, Elencú lightly placed her hand on her father's outstretched arm and the two walked side by side down the corridors towards the ballroom.

The dread growing in Elencú's stomach grew far greater then before as they neared the ball. Unconsciously, her light touch grew into a death grip. Father turned his head slightly and smiled gently down at her. From what she had heard, he had a hard time choosing a life mate until he had found and fallen I love with Celebrain, her mother.

"Father, is Saraná going to be there?" Elencú asked, fearful of the answer. For she did not trust Saraná to be near her, for lately he had been singling her out in the crowd "Yes, of course. I see now that we have no need of this ball. As you might have already chosen your lifemate." he answered, grimly.

"Trust me, we still have need the ball. I cannot stand him. I do not wish to partake of his company, as it does not particularly relate to my choice of discussion. He is so rude! He thinks so highly of himself! That is the only thing I cannot abide! And I would rather not be in a discussion of myself." Elencú exclaimed softly.

"Then don't you fret. I shall find a way to keep him away from you, my dear." he said jovially, for he himself could not stand the lad. Saraná was an Edhelnaug, an elf/dwarf. A forbidden race that should not exist. He was scorned by many, but, Elencú had given him a chance as a person to prove he was worth her time, a courtesy she had always given every person she had met.

"Thank you, father." she answered thankfully, breathing a small sigh of relief. Elrond let a small smile escape to play across his face. They continued the remainder of the way in complete silence.

They entered the room amid a chorus of some small fan fair of trumpets. It was a round room lit with candles hanging form the ceiling. There were several fireplaces around the room that sent flickering light dancing around the room. The light form the fires and the candles hit the prisms dangling and rainbows glimmered around. They had hardly walked 5 feet into the room before Saraná immediately approached them asking if she would like to dance with him. "No, my dear boy, you cannot dance with her as of yet." father answered the question meant for his daughter, hastily trying to think of an excuse to why. "Why, my lord?" Saraná questioned, knowing that she very well could come. "Well, you see, its because..." father stuttered, unsure of how to answer.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. How is Elencú going to get out of dancing with Saraná? Stay tuned to find out

-Kitté


	3. Rescue Effort

Rivendell Rises

An Elven princess faced with a choice. A father insisting on marriage. The man of her dreams pops up while a man of a forbidden race is haunting her steps. Is this the man intended to free her?

A few things are my idea(I don't believe I've seen them anywhere else, let me know if I'm mistaken). These include Cálë, Maldathoron, Kelepeku, and Elencú. The rest of it is all from the real Lord of the Rings. Enjoy!

* * *

"Because I am to dance with her ladyship." a handsome blonde wood-elf, wearing a glittering, silver tunic said, boldly, "Shall we be off, my lady?"

"Yes, of course, m'lord." Elencú answered, smiling. 'My daughter is smiling!' thought father. 'I believe she has met her match. For never before has she smiled in the presence of a male. I am joyful.' "Thank you, kind sir, for being so bold as to rescue me in that manner." Elencú said innocently to the wood-elf, "May I know the name of my brave woodland rescuer?" "Of course, how rude of me. My name is Legolas, son of Thranduil, of Mirkwood. You, my dear, are?" Legolas asked. "Oh yes, I almost forgot. I am Elencú, daughter of Elrond of Imladris." she said, airily. "_Muina khíril, Elencú_ " (dear lady, Elencú) Legolas sighed into her hair. He, like many others, had fallen under the spell of her beauty. "what?" she asked, slightly confused. She had never heard this language. It sounded a bit less melodic than Quenya, and a bit more woodish. "It's my native tongue. I apologize for being so rude as to slip into the old language." he apologized profusely. "It's okay. Really. I do it all the time, too. I always seem to forget that not everyone knows Quenya, like at home." she said, bemused. "You really needed help, didn't you?" he asked, confused as to how the topic had changed "It looked like your father was trying to get you out of something." Just then they spun past Saranä; the

Edhelnaug was glowering at them. Legolas looked surprised at there being an Edhelnaug in Imladris. "Why is there an _Edhelnaug_ here?" Elencú didn't answer. "_Ndangwetha, muina mîr_." (Answer, dear jewel) He demanded, gently. His expression softening as his gaze turned back towards her. Elencú's happy expression had turned into a stormy one when the conversation turned towards Saranä. "Elencú, I promise, I would not ask this to anger you. I am just curious. The _edhelnaugrim_ are not a welcome race. I do not understand why there would be one here, in the castle of the royal family. I have heard tales about the graciousness of Lord Elrond's youngest child, but I did not know it was so limitless." He paused to gaze at her adoringly, "you are a much better person than I, _muina khíril._" (dear lady)

Elencú blushed under his gaze and dropped her eyes to the floor. "I just felt that he deserved a chance, just like we would offer to anyone else." She looked back up, eyes flashing, "Unfortunately, my generosity is well wasted. The man does nothing but follow me about the castle. Saraná has been trying to marry me, or receive permission in the matter. He wants to be always bound to me and does not seem understand that I do not care for him. Father is throwing this particular ball in hopes that I shall find a lifemate, soon. Look around, you will find many young men, and very few young women. I did have plans to skip out and not come." Her face softened as Legolas smiled.

"You know, there's always a reason to spend time away from others. You simply need to find it." He paused, "perhaps I can be of some assistance in the matter." She smiled back at him.

Their shared moment was interrupted as Lord Tranduil hastily approached, speaking rapidly. "Legolas, my son, come. We must head out for the day is ending, and we must return before first light." He spun on his heel and made his way to the door to ready their horses.

Legolas turned to Elencú. "A_vatyar nye_ (Forgive me), I must go. I have high hopes to see you again soon. I beg your permission to write, until I may call upon you again."

"Good sir, I bestow on you my permission to write to me." She giggled at her own feigned formality. "I very much hope you do, and I eagerly await your return to Imladris. _Namárië_." (farewell) Elencú regretfully let her hands fall from Legolas' shoulders.

"_Namárië_." He whispered back, lightly kissing her cheek. And then he left, as quickly and silently as a leaf on the wind. Elencú stared after him, her hand on the spot his lips had so recently been, wondering about what was to become of them.

* * *

Now I've been getting into my more significant changes from the original version. I personally like the changes. I hope that everyone enjoyed this chapter!

-Kitté


End file.
